The present invention relates to the treatment of the inside surfaces of a hollow body, such that areas of different surface properties, e.g., with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, are created on the inside surfaces of said hollow body. In addition, the invention relates to fluid separators which are based on these hollow bodies and have areas of differing surface properties. Such fluid separators are used in medical technology and analysis, in particular in biochemical analysis.
As a rule, channel-shaped systems in which opposing surfaces have different surface properties in the channel are usually used for the implementation of separators for microfluidic applications. The fluid to be separated is introduced into the separator and can then be separated on the basis of different interactions of the fluid components to be separated with the respective surfaces.
WO 02/011888 discloses a microfluidic system, in which said system is composed of various layers of material, each having recesses which join together to form a channel-shaped recess when the layers are stacked. The surface properties can be influenced in the areas of the channel by selecting appropriate materials for the individual layers.
US 2009/0282978 describes microfluidic separators, in which the separation is accomplished by using membranes in microfluidic systems.